A CABIOS intern dissects a fish as part of an ongoing project using environmental DNA (eDNA) to characterize fish populations in Bermuda.
CABIOS intern, Kevin Wong, diving on Bermuda's reefs spears an invasive lionfish. Photo by Shayna Brody, Waitt Institute.
Annaliese, an undergraduate student in microbiology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, used her CABIOS internship to research rare earth elements and their role in methane cycling in the ocean. Her work at sea near BIOS included deploying a CTD instrument on the R/V Atlantic Explorer.
CABIOS intern Elaine Lu working in the Risk Prediction Initiative at BIOS.
Interns in the wet lab with juvenile corals.
CABIOS interns aboard the R/V Atlantic Explorer.
CABIOS intern Samiah Alam works in the Zooplankton Ecology Laboratory.
The Canadian Associates of BIOS (CABIOS) was established to provide support for Canadian students and students studying at Canadian universities/colleges, to participate in BIOS’s educational programs and research internships. Since its inception, CABIOS has provided support to BIOS that has enabled over one hundred students to foster their interest in the oceans and further their university-level education at BIOS.
CABIOS was founded in 1975 by the late Dr. Earlston Doe, a former BIOS Life Trustee and Bermuda-born Canadian oceanographer, to honor the memory of his youngest son Learmont “Leary” Doe. In the decades following its formation, CABIOS has received support from a variety of individuals, businesses and organizations, including several generous donations that allowed the fund to grow.
Eligibility: Students enrolled in Canadian colleges/universities are eligible to apply for CABIOS funding. Canadian students enrolled in institutions outside Canada, but who intend to return to Canada after graduation are also eligible for funding.
Scholarships: Scholarships are available to assist students with the cost of BIOS summer courses. CABIOS also sponsors fully-funded research internships.
Courses:
In the summer semester, BIOS offers a range of marine science courses that are aimed at both undergraduate and graduate students. All students who meet the eligibility requirements will automatically be considered for a CABIOS scholarship. Scholarships assist with the summer course fee which includes accommodation, meals and tuition. CABIOS funds, however, cannot be used to cover travel expenses.
Summer Course and Scholarship Application: Students must submit the summer course application form, including the section relating to scholarships; the amount of scholarship funding being sought and a statement attesting to need and qualifications are required.
Internships
CABIOS offers full scholarships for students to participate in research internships at BIOS. CABIOS has sponsored many interns from Canadian institutions including Dalhousie University, University of Victoria, University of Guelph, Trent University, Carleton University, Western University and University of Toronto. CABIOS intern scholarships cover the cost of accommodation and meals, as well as providing a small stipend and a contribution to research expenses associated with the intern’s research project. Scholarship funds do not cover travel expenses or medical/travel insurance.
Internship Application: Prior to submitting an application, prospective interns are encouraged to contact BIOS mentors directly to discuss projects. Students who meet the eligibility requirements are asked to select up to three of the available projects in order of preference. Applicants should then complete the CABIOS internship application form and note the documents which must accompany the completed form including 2 letters of reference from academics familiar with your work, your current CV and a copy of your recent transcripts. Applications are due by March 15. If you have any questions, please email education@bios.edu.
Former CABIOS Interns: Annaliese Meyer, a microbiology graduate, spent 12 weeks at BIOS in 2019. Following her internship Annaliese said, “My experience at BIOS was one of the first times that I truly understood what a career as a researcher would hold. Being able to conduct a project from conception through to manuscript preparation is an opportunity afforded to few undergraduate students, and being able to do so surrounded by interesting, passionate people in a gorgeous setting made the experience that much sweeter.”
A PhD student of biological and environmental sciences, Kevin Wong spent 12 weeks as a CABIOS Intern in 2019. He commented, “I have evolved so much as a researcher and as an individual thanks to my time at BIOS and the support of CABIOS.”
Kaiwen Xia, majoring in molecular genetics and immunology, also spent 12 weeks at BIOS in 2019. Kaiwen said, “I definitely learned a lot from my time at BIOS, not only pertaining to my own project, but I was also able to learn about the work in other labs thanks to the various seminars. This undoubtedly helped me appreciate the diversity of research questions being studied and pushed me to reflect on which issue I'd be most passionate studying.”